Alaskan 48" on a 42" bar. Can it be shortened?

[sika]

Title pretty much says it all.

I plan to get a 48" mill and run it on a 42" bar. I am going to drill the end sprocket so I get the max cut I can (around 38").

Are these things easy to shorten? It looks like a simple matter of sliding the bar holder thing along the guide rails.

If this sounds fiddly am I better to stick with the 42" a 36" alaskan mill. I will get full 34" cutting width and not have to do the drilling the bar to maximize the cutting width. Plus still have enough room on the head end to operate the drum brake. Should I go this way instead?

 

[devonhubb]

Yup. You can put a short bar on a long alaskan mill. I use mine with a variety of bar lengths. Actually, the longer mill serves to help counterbalance the powerhead.

But then again, it makes the whole package a bit heavier and more clumsy.

 

[watermark]

Just like Devon said it's real easy to do you just have 2 nuts to loosen and slide the clamp into position. The extra length can come into handy if you have a mate on the other end helping guide through the cuts and setting wedges for you so you don't have to stop mid cut.

What kind of wood are you slabbing in NZ??

 

[sika]

Just like Devon said it's real easy to do you just have 2 nuts to loosen and slide the clamp into position. The extra length can come into handy if you have a mate on the other end helping guide through the cuts and setting wedges for you so you don't have to stop mid cut.

What kind of wood are you slabbing in NZ??

Anything I can get my hands on.

I have some Macrocarpa lined up already and some Totara about 30-34" diameter. The Macro can be pretty thick at the butt where all the nice grain is, 42" is not uncommon.

The max width I can put through a thicknesser in any event is 600mm (24"). At least the thicknesser I have access to.

Think I will go with the 48" mill then as shipping cost is the same to NZ for both the 36" and 48".